Each month we’ll be featuring a blog post from our friends at MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network). MAGNET’s mission is to support, educate and champion manufacturing in Ohio with the goal of transforming the region’s economy into a powerful, global player. You can visit MAGNET online at manufacturingsuccess.org.
SIFCO Forge Group found themselves with longer-than-desired turnaround and delivery times and needed a lean program to help them reduce these times and their costs. In partnering with MAGNET, SIFCO went far beyond a typical lean program and redefined their company culture with the SIFCO SMART program. In this video, you’ll learn more about MAGNET and SIFCO’s development of SMART and how it positively impacted not just SIFCO’s bottom line but every single member of its workforce.
Are you heading to Chicago this month to attend the IMTS/IANA, ASPE or NECA trade shows? If so, check out our exclusive Insider’s Guide to Chicago! Use this guide to help you get around town during your free time while attending the various trade shows being held in Chicago in September.
– Want to know where the locals like to eat and drink? We have the insider information from our friends in Chicago.
– Need tips on nightlife and sightseeing? We made a list of shouldn’t-miss recommendations.
– Have you ever driven in Chicago? We have you covered with taxi and limo services.
See you at McCormick Place…or at one of the great places in the guide!
The folks at the top got there, for the most part, because they know the industry and your customer base. Unfortunately, as they move up the corporate ladder, they spend less and less time with the customer and what’s really on their mind.
An interesting book Made to Stick by the Heath brothers talks about the “knowledge curse” of the C-S. Basically, it means that the better we get at generating new insights and solutions, the harder it gets for them to communicate those ideas clearly. In other words, once we know something, it’s hard to imagine everyone already knowing it and when we go on with the thought, we bypass an explanation and go on to make the point, thus losing the audience.
The key with blogging is giving people valuable info that can help them do their job. The challenge for most of us is how do we get that knowledge from between the ears of the big boys and into the hands of the actual user? So what can we do to help get the valuable info out of the C-Suite and yet make it understandable to our target audience? Here are a few tips:
Narrow the focus of the article
Give them only a few choices to write about
Give them a deadline
Be prepared to edit out buzz words and what I call corporate speak and put it in terms your audience will understand
Edit for readability
So don’t give up on getting valuable info out of the corner office and into the hands of your customers.
Let’s face it, in an ideal world we’d all want our customers to love us! We all know that’s not going to happen, but I’ll bet you might have more advocates for your brand than you think.
Why are brand advocates important? Studies show that people rely on peer recommendations and reviews before purchasing goods. Contractors are no different, especially if you’re introducing a new product or application they haven’t used or seen before. They certainly don’t want to be the first to try something.
Brand advocates are more than loyal customers. They are your ambassadors in the trades. I’ve seen contractors with tattoos of company logos. That to me is the ultimate.
Some brand advocates will surface on their own by commenting on your blog or website several times or talking you up on an online forum. Others might offer positive comments on a survey or warranty card. Don’t forget to ask your sales staff in the field who are calling on contractors, as well as your customer service department. They certainly should be able to identify a few. Hopefully a few will be high-profile folks within some associations that you are a part of.
One of our clients in the plumbing market was able to identify and nurture several advocates over the years. Once they brought the top 10 contributors into the main office and treated them like royalty for 2 days and then sent them home. They got a plant tour, a look at what was coming down the line as new products and met with customer service and technical people that they interface with on a regular basis on the phone or with emails. You wouldn’t believe the results of that effort. They became ambassadors on steroids!
Once you’ve found them, then what? You should set up a brand advocacy program that will give them ways to help you grow the brand. Here are a few ideas:
Ask them to write testimonials or reviews on new products. Then ask them to share them.
See if they would be willing to do a case history for you.
If timing permits and you can meet them at an association meeting or trade show, see if they would let you interview them both for a podcast and testimonial video.
Ask them for referrals.
Have them test and evaluate new products before they are brought to market.
Have them identify potential new products.
This needs to be an ongoing effort so you’re always adding new advocates to keep the message current and fresh.
Don’t miss a golden opportunity for your customers to help sell your brand.
Emily Bessell just wrapped up a summer internship here at Sonnhalter and before she left, she shared some of the things she learned during her time on our team. Here’s what she had to say…
With summer winding down and my senior year at Denison University just around the corner, I’m beginning to reflect on my internship experience here at Sonnhalter.
The first thing that came to mind was,
“Where did the time go? It seems like I just started yesterday!”
But I will save the familiar ‘time is fleeting’ conversation for another day.
The second and third things that popped into my head were more closely related to what I aim to communicate in this post. That is, the three most important things I learned as an intern.
1. Research skills are important.
One of my predominant projects this summer involved heavy research so effective skills were essential. However, I learned that research skills are important for other things too, like preparing for meetings with clients. During my time as an intern, I was included in client meetings and conference calls. While observing these meetings, I wanted to be well informed and if needed, participate in the conversation with confidence. To do this, I engaged in thorough research about the client and company prior to the meeting. With this kind of preparation, I was well informed and ready to learn new things.
2. Always carry a pen and paper.
This might sound obvious, but I learned never to leave my office without my black Sakura Gelly Roll pen and Moleskine notepad (equipment is important too!). These tools came in handy, as I am quite the note taker. Each day is full of new information and writing it down helped me commit it to memory. It is also important to take note of key projects so you can refer back when updating your resume and LinkedIn profile.
3. Ask questions.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. As an intern, asking questions is important in learning how to do things the right way the first time. I found that co-workers with experience are excellent resources and are incredibly helpful in answering questions and providing feedback.
I’ve had a productive couple of months at Sonnhalter, in the northern part of Ohio, and while I still have a lot to learn and improve upon, I have gained important lessons and invaluable skills. During my time as an intern, I was able to see how and why the Sonnhalter team is excellent at what they do. It was a pleasure working with them and I am truly thankful for the experience.
